Your Future Is Not Mine
by Judith Wilcox
Summary: Fire Lord Sozin was the reason the Hundred Year War started. He was the reason the Air Nomads were dead and the world was left divided and scarred. Then there was Fire Lord Ozai, who banished his son to search for the Avatar and the Avatar's Guardian — two of the world's most powerful people, who haven't been seen in over a hundred years. Who, after all these years, finally return.
1. Chapter 1

_"I'll never go down your road,_

 _I find my way on my own,_

 _I'll never follow your path,_

 _I'll make mine and I won't look back...,"_

-Your Future Is Not Mine; **by Daisy Hamel-Buffa**

* * *

Fire Lord Sozin started the Hundred Year War. He believed that "sharing" the wealth and prosperity of the Fire Nation to the rest of the world — despite Avatar Roku's warnings — was the only way to have the entire world know just how _amazing_ he believed his country was. Fire Lord Sozin, who left Avatar Roku for dead on an island with an erupting volcano. Fire Lord Sozin, who slaughtered the Air Nomads to stop the next Avatar's birth. Fire Lord Sozin, who started a war with the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes, forcing the Fire Nation's beliefs and cultures upon the rest of the world. Destroying families, orphaning children, dividing the world. That was what became of Sozin's idea.

The world outside the Fire Nation didn't see the Fire Nation as prosperous or amazing. They saw it as terrifying, evil, disgusting — any name in the book you can think of. But, as the years went on since the war started, the Fire Nation remained completely unaware to the world's hatred to their invaders, their killers. The people of the Fire Nation were made to believe they were doing the world an enormous favor; by spreading the beliefs and customs of their homeland, the rest of the world could finally understand just how great everything could become.

But, as the war's name would entail, the brutality and heartbreak the Fire Nation was causing to the rest of the world would last a hundred years. But, eventually, the war would have come to an end.

In the Southern Water Tribe, it would start with a Waterbending girl and her brother finding an Airbender and his flying bison in an iceberg.

In the ocean, not far from the Southern Water Tribe, a banished prince, his Uncle, and the few crewmembers the prince had on his ship would notice a blinding light coming just a way's ahead from where they were sailing.

But in the Earth Kingdom, in a Fire Nation colony, it would start with a Firebending girl.

 **. . . .**

Imani had spent her entire life in a Fire Nation colony in the far reaches of the Earth Kingdom. Her colony was the only home she ever knew. Imani never had the opportunity to travel to the Fire Nation, where her father's side of the family had come from. Imani's mother's family were from the Earth Kingdom, a family of relatively strong Earthbenders. When Imani's parents met, they took their time falling in love. So, when Imani's mother, Loa, announced her pregnancy, there was an uproar. Loa's family saw it as treacherous, having the baby of a Fire Nation colonist. How could she? Didn't she care about her family's wellbeing? Obviously not, or she wouldn't have gotten pregnant _(or even have fallen in love)_ with a colonist.

It was bad enough the Fire Lord's armies kept trying to break through Ba Sing Se's outer wall, and continually invaded other areas of the Earth Kingdom — honestly the list could go on — but with the colonists just taking over their entire village, filling it with propaganda and anything _Fire Nation_ , Loa's family had to deal with any possible outcomes that would ensue with the pregnancy.

Not only that, but very few Earthbenders chose to stay in the area the Fire Nation colonized in — as usual, using force to colonize the area — but Loa's family, along with a small handful of others, refused to leave. For Loa and her family, the village they lived in had been their home for generations; they weren't going to leave just yet. But what was truly surprising, was how easily the soldiers and colonists allowed those families and Earthbenders to leave. They didn't put up a fight, but when they realized there were still handfuls of Earthbenders left in the village, they seemed satisfied.

As it would turn out, the Fire Nation would put those Earthbenders who stayed to — in their opinion — good use. It was because of their strength, their endurance, that made the colonists and soldiers so interested in them. There was an area near the colony — just a couple miles from the village — that was known to have endless amounts of coal. Those from the Fire Nation who stayed in the colony forced the remaining Earthbenders to put together a coalmine. Every single day, from before the sun came up, 'til long after it set, those Earthbenders, accompanied by a few skilled Firebenders and some soldiers, would go to the coalmine — after its completion — to do their work. The coalmine weren't just jobs for the men to do, anyone who was an Earthbender had to go. Which meant that Imani's mother had to go, no questions asked.

The coalmine would be essential to the Fire Nation. The Earthbenders were required to have a specific amount of coal gathered at the end of each day, which would be gathered at the end of each month by a higher up from the Fire Nation, which would benefit said Nation in the war. And, as the years went by, coalmining eventually became a sort of currency in the village. In order to obtain food, clothes, personal items like soap or clean water, the Earthbenders had to double the amount of coal they gathered in order to get _paid_. Unfortunately, there were some accidents from those who weren't careful, which would sometimes lead to deaths and causing the village to get behind on their payments.

One accident in general had caused a great deal of pain in Imani's life. To start things off, the relationship Loa had with Imani's father didn't work out; something Loa's family was grateful for. It wasn't like Imani's father, Sorin, was a bad person, despite what Loa's family — and remaining villagers — thought of him. It was just Sorin and Loa didn't see eye-to-eye anymore. They ended their relationship on good terms. When Imani turned five, Loa ended up marrying a non-bender named Nolan. Nolan had been born and raised in the Earth Kingdom, having moved with his parents to the village a few months before the colonization. The romance that budded between Loa and Nolan seemed almost instantaneous. In no time at all, long after the relationship between Loa and Sorin ended, Nolan had proposed _(after a brief courtship)_ and Loa said yes. A marriage happened not long after. Not even a year after the marriage, Loa gave birth to Imani's twin half-siblings, Jasper _(Imani's half-sister)_ and Lee _(Imani's half-brother)_.

That's how everything went down, right?

After Loa had been given enough time to recover from childbirth, she was forced back to the mine. That meant Nolan was left to take care of three kids while his wife was away. One day, five months after the twins turned a year old, there had been another accident at the mine. An explosion. As it would turn out, there was a faulty explosive that went off, causing two deaths and serious injuries for anyone nearby. Loa had been one of those two who died.

The soldiers wouldn't even allow Loa to be properly buried until the coalmine was up and functioning normally. That had taken weeks. One could only _imagine_ the condition Loa's body had been in once those long weeks had ended.

Imani, every day, would stand and watch the miners hauling all the debris out of the wreckage, rebuilding an entrance to resume their work. That was also when she saw her mother's corpse. The soldiers and colonists walked over Loa's body like it was garbage. For Imani, in her six year old mind, that was her first taste in a hatred for the Fire Nation.

 **. . . .**

"Imani, where are you going?" Jasper ran over to her older sister, her earthy brown eyes sparkling with delight. In some ways, Jasper almost resembled Loa, but Imani saw more Nolan in her half-sister than anything else. Jasper's wild, dirty brown hair was sticking up in every direction, making Imani smile a little.

"I'm just going to visit my father," she responded, rustling her sister's head.

"When you come back, wanna see me practice?" Jasper's voice was _filled_ with enthusiasm. Like her mother, Jasper was an Earthbender. Lee, Jasper's twin brother, was not. In some ways, Imani was happy to know her half-sister was ecstatic at the thought of being an Earthbender, but it also broke her heart. There was an established rule that for all underage Earthbenders, they will be eligible for mining on the day of their fourteenth birthday. Young Earthbenders were stronger, they could get more work done. And considering the village seemed to have grown considerably since the colonizing — and there seemed to be a lot more Earthbenders than before — it seemed as though the soldiers were getting everything they wanted.

Imani knew that Jasper only had a few years to go before being sent off to the mine. It terrified Imani, knowing her young sister would have to endure something as awful as that. Not only was the _mining_ unsafe, but the soldiers who would oversee the mining — along with the few Firebenders who'd help out occasionally — mistreated the Earthbenders nearly every day. More than once, an Earthbender would be randomly assaulted by a Firebender, having to get treatment for burns or other injuries. Despite Imani being a Firebender herself, she had trained herself with medicinal herbs and ointments in order to help those who had been injured on-duty. But it wasn't like anyone cared what she did. The Fire Nation colonists and soldiers hardly gave her the time of day; some of the original villagers — those who remained — treated her like an infestation.

Imani, being the child of a colonist and an Earth Kingdom native, was seen as nothing more than an intrusion. And it didn't help that Imani could Firebend, as well.

But that was beside the point. Imani spent her time with her family. She enjoyed playing with her siblings, spending time with her father and stepfather, practicing her Firebending, anything to keep herself occupied. With everything around Imani either having something to do with the war or having to do with the mine, Imani wanted to have herself as distracted as possible so she wouldn't be so scared all the time. But there was only a matter of time before Imani would face something even bigger than anything she was ever used to.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **For one, sorry it took so long to put this chapter up. I've been doing homework, so I've been a tad distracted. Hopefully you guys understand that, right? I don't know. But, if you've got any thoughts on how this chapter was, don't hesitate to leave a review, OK? That's super important.**

 **Do I own anything in ATLA? No. No I don't.**

 **This will be a Zuko/OC story. The OC will be Imani. So, eventually, Imani and Zuko will get together. If there's anything that's confusing, don't hesitate to let me know. I'll try and clear it up the best I can.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	2. Chapter 2

_"You can breathe. You can blink. You can cry. Hell, they're all gonna be doing that."_ -Negan; **The Walking Dead**

* * *

Sorin's home was typical for a Fire Nation home. At least in a colonial sense. When Sorin used to live in the Fire Nation, before volunteering to live in the colony, he'd come from a prestigious family; one that gained wealth out of the war. Sorin's father and brother were weapons manufacturers. Workers — or, more commonly, people who were intimidated or threatened under the Fire Nation's power and control — would be given the necessary materials to work on the weapons, and being told to finish it before a specific date.

So, when news of an Earth Kingdom village with a supposedly unlimited supply of coal had reached the ears of Sorin's family, he had volunteered to settle down once the colony had finished its construction. After a while, Sorin's views on the Earth Kingdom people — at least the ones he lived in the village with — changed. His changing view on them didn't at all alter the way the villagers saw _him_. Sorin was still a Fire Nation native, someone who invaded foreign land and forced the inhabitants to hard labor. In Sorin's eyes, not a day would go by where he wouldn't feel some kind of guilt for what was going on. The guilt didn't officially make itself known until the day of Loa's death. That had been when Sorin knew there had to be some kind of change; he just wasn't sure _how_ to do it.

"Father?" Imani's voice snapped Sorin out of his thoughts, his memories. "Father, are you here?"

"In here, Imani." Sorin took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself down before his daughter came in. When Imani came into Sorin's library, he put on a somewhat forced smile. Seeing his only daughter standing before him was something that filled him with pride — being able to see the kind of person she was becoming — and heartbreak — knowing that in so many ways, she resembled her mother. Especially Imani's eyes. Sorin's daughter had pale green eyes, something Imani had inherited from her maternal grandmother. Imani's eyes made her other features seem to stand out in a way. It added on to her black hair, making it seem darker. It also seemed to go well with her lightly tanned skin.

"Are you OK?" she asked. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," Sorin responded, folding his hands in front of him. "Work has been...stressful, to say the least."

Imani's mouth pursed. "I can only imagine," she responded.

"Listen, Imani," Sorin sighed, his shoulders falling forward, "I know you don't like the mine, but..."

"It's beneficial for the war, I get it." There was obvious venom in Imani's voice as she said that.

Sighing, Sorin walked over to his daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't easy for anyone," he sighed. "I know you understand that. You're smart, Imani; you're observant. But what's happening _here_...it's _nothing_ compared to what others are experiencing."

" _How_?" Imani snapped, yanking herself out of her father's grip. "How is this any different? The Fire Nation _invaded_ this place! Just like they're doing all around the Earth Kingdom!"

"Lower your tone," Sorin said, his voice sharp. "Keep in mind that even though you were born in the Earth Kingdom, you're still a Firebender. People will look at you the same way they look at me, or the soldiers, or anyone else from the Fire Nation."

"You think I asked to be a Firebender?" Imani hissed. "I'd have better luck being a _non-bender_. At least I wouldn't have to deal with all the looks everyone gives me."

"That's enough." Sorin's voice boomed in the small room, echoing off the walls. In most cases, arguments seemed to be how Imani and Sorin started off their visits. It wasn't in any way how they wanted to start things off, but it seemed to go in that direction. Not always, but in most cases. "I understand your unhappiness in being a Firebender," Sorin sighed, "but that is part of your heritage. Your grandfather is a Firebending Master. Your cousin, Lyric, is an expertly trained Firebender."

"Is that supposed to _inspire_ me?" Imani muttered.

"It's _supposed_ to give you an understanding on how strong you can be," Sorin said. "All you need is proper training."

"It's not like anyone _here_ wants to train me." It was true. Due to Imani's mixed heritage, she was seen as valueless. The only good thing about Imani was her Firebending. That was it. Being a Firebender in the colony was seen with respect among the soldiers and colonists.

"Train yourself," Sorin suggested. "Find your own technique. Do what makes _you_ comfortable. Don't look at Firebending as a burden; you can very easily make it something _good_."

 **. . . .**

For the past one hundred years, Firebending, for a majority of those who possessed the ability, was used to destroy. If something wasn't of value in the eyes of a Firebender, it was burned, killed. That was how it was for a lot of Firebenders, they used their abilities to instill fear into others. But, at least in Imani's mind, there had to be at least _some_ Firebenders who saw that the way things were weren't OK. That was what Imani _hoped_.

That wasn't too bad, right?

It was probably naïve.

Either way, Imani had hopes that not all Firebenders were awful people. That there were some who had compassion and wanted what was best for the world. Maybe her father had been onto something in the advice he gave her. If Imani practiced enough, she'd be able to use her Firebending for something _good_.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait, I had homework that needed completing. If you've got any thoughts on this chapter, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'd like to know what you guys think of the story so far. It may only be two chapters in, but I would like to think if I get constructive criticism early enough, I may be able to improve the story as it goes along.**

 **ATLA doesn't belong to me.**

 **Compared to the first chapter, this one is significantly shorter. I would've made it longer, but I'm tired from school and work; so I am kind of low on creative juices right now. I will try and make future chapters longer if I can help it. If I'm not too busy with school and work, that is.**

 **Anywho, if you've got ideas for subplots or OCs you'd like to see written into the story, leave a review or PM me. I know it's a little early, but if there's any general ideas you could have on a subplot or OC, don't hesitate to let me know. This will probably be more effective the more I write the story, but the idea still stands.**

 **That's all I've got for that.**

 **Is there anything that's confusing that needs to be cleared up?**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	3. Chapter 3

_"Don't waste it...don't waste your life, Stark."_ -Yinsen; **Iron Man**

* * *

Imani stayed with her father for a little while longer, going through his library and having small talk. In a sense, Imani was happy that she had the opportunity to spend a little time with her father; it felt like most days she hardly ever got to see him. Sorin would get so busy with everything that would be needed for the business — for the Fire Nation — that sometimes he couldn't put in any time for his daughter. Imani understood that, she didn't like it, but she understood.

"How's everything with Nolan and the kids?" Sorin asked.

After Sorin's and Loa's relationship ended, and Loa ended up marrying Nolan, Sorin had been very supportive and accepting of his former partner. It did sadden him, knowing she had been able to move on. Sorin didn't really see the need to find anyone else after Loa; he still felt strongly for her, but their relationship was starting to have its problems and they couldn't work it out. Not only that, but Sorin's family wasn't very _pleased_ that he had a child with a woman from the Earth Kingdom. They spoke to him when it was business related, but other than that, they refused to have any sort of contact with him that didn't involve weaponry.

"Everything's fine." Imani shrugged, looking through some scrolls. "I'm worried about Jasper, though."

"Is there something wrong with her?"

"She's an Earthbender," Imani replied, looking at her father. "I know you probably don't care, since she's not your child, but it worries me."

Sorin's face hardened. "You don't think I care about your siblings?"

Shrugging Imani put the scroll down, randomly picking up another one. "I just assumed since they aren't your kids, you didn't have any responsibility to them," she responded.

"They may not be my children, but they're still your mother's children." Sorin kept his tone even, looking at Imani sternly. "If you ever need help with anything, you know you can tell me."

Imani's shoulders stiffened. "You and I both know there's no helping Jasper," she snapped. "Once she's of age, she'll work in the mine. It's the requirement."

"Doesn't your mother have some relatives who live near Ba Sing Se?" Sorin asked. "Why don't you send Jasper there?"

"I don't know what the soldiers will do if that happens." Knowing that in only a few years, Imani's younger half-sister would be forced to work in the mine terrified her. She wanted nothing more than to ensure her siblings had a normal, stable environment; and being forced to live in a Fire Nation secured village wasn't providing either. It broke Imani's heart. In some instances, Imani did think about what would happen if she took her siblings and left, but she wasn't sure how the soldiers would react if they managed an escape. While there were growing numbers of Earthbenders in the village, losing just _one_ was bad for the soldiers _and_ for the Fire Nation. From what Imani understood, all Earthbenders had their roles in the mine; and if one Earthbender managed to escape, to leave and find a better life, then that meant the others would have to pick up the slack or an underage Earthbender would have to start mining early.

But since Jasper wasn't officially in the mine yet, should Imani take her half-siblings and leave, Jasper's absence wouldn't make much of a difference. Besides, Jasper wasn't assigned a position yet, so it would definitely not make any sort of difference at all.

"Don't worry about the soldiers," Sorin said.

"I can't," Imani sighed. "If I took Jasper and Lee and just left, Nolan would be heartbroken. I can't do that to him."

 **. . . .**

Nolan was one who tried to support his children to the best of his abilities. Being a single parent wasn't easy, especially when two of his children were benders. He knew that being a non-bender himself, he had a bit of a gap in understanding when it came between Imani and Jasper, but he acknowledged their abilities and supported them whenever he could. Not only that, but having Imani as his stepdaughter, with her being a Firebender, as well, didn't bother Nolan in the slightest. He treated Imani as if she were his own daughter, even if she knew she wasn't. Imani acknowledged Nolan's efforts to keep the family together, that he truly cared for her younger siblings and for herself; that was one reason he had her respect.

Nolan didn't treat Imani differently because she was a Firebender, he didn't look at her differently for not being his biological child, he looked at Imani like he'd look at anyone else — a person. He didn't care that she could Firebend, he didn't care that she had a different father, Nolan saw Imani as his daughter, even if genetics had it differently.

"I'll always be here for you, Imani," he'd say. "If there's something bothering you, you can tell me. Or, if you don't want to, we can do something to keep your mind off it."

Nolan was an understanding man, one who tried to see the goodness in everyone. He had his prejudices against the Fire Nation, but he also wanted to believe that not all of them were evil. That was just how it was with him.

"Papa!" Jasper's voice cut through Nolan's thoughts, his brown eyes going to his daughter and son. "Lee's messing up my Earthbending training!"

Sighing, Nolan walked over to where the twins stood, at the entrance of his bedroom. In most situations, Nolan found he could get the most thinking — the most reflecting — done when he was in his room. He still made an effort to interact with his children as often as possible, but he also had them understand that there were little moments throughout the day where he needed a little time alone. Sometimes they behaved well enough that Nolan could have enough time alone; other times, the twins just couldn't keep out of trouble.

"Lee, what I have I told you about doing that?" Kneeling down to their eye-level, Nolan looked at Lee solemnly, awaiting his young son's answer.

"Not to do it," Lee muttered.

"Then why did you do it?" Lee shrugged. "That's not an answer."

"I don't like seeing her Earthbend."

"Your sister has to get her training in, Lee," Nolan explained, his voice firm, leaving no room to argue. "It's important to her."

"No it's not!" Lee snapped. "It's important to the _soldiers_! To the _Firebenders_! They're gonna take her to the mine and..."

Lee silenced when his father held a hand up. It was true; once Jasper was of age, she'd be sent off to work in the mine. Once she was of no use to the soldiers — to the Fire Nation — she'd be cast aside for someone else to take her place. That is, if she didn't die first; but Nolan didn't want to think like that.

When Nolan saw the paled expression on Jasper's face, he let out a silent sigh. Jasper understood her role to the Fire Nation soldiers, and as much as she tried to ignore it, she couldn't. In just a few years, she'd be sent off to work hours upon hours at the mine, risking her life every day in the hands of the Firebenders and soldiers who oversaw the progress. It was terrifying.

"I understand your concern." Nolan's tone was heavy, his expression becoming more solemn. "Don't think for a _second_ that I don't worry about that day," he said, "but we need to keep strong, OK?" When Lee didn't answer, and refused to meet his father's gaze, Nolan put a hand on his son's shoulder. "OK?"

Lee nodded, saying something incomprehensible under his breath.

Nodding, Nolan embraced his two kids. He understood that things would get more difficult in the future, but he wanted to make sure Jasper and Lee didn't shoulder something like that, they were too young to be worrying so much. So was Imani. And knowing they worried so much made Nolan worry just as much.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter had been put off for too long, but here it is and I hope you guys enjoy it. Let me know what you think, OK? I think constructive criticism is important!**

 **Do I own anything in this franchise? No. No I don't.**

 **In case there's any confusion on where the story's timeline is — have Katara and Sokka found Aang in the iceberg at this point? Or is Aang still frozen in the iceberg?** **— and to answer any questions on where the timeline is at this point, Sokka and Katara haven't found Aang yet. But they'll meet him soon, so don't worry.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I should improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	4. Chapter 4

_"A simple plot but I know one day,_

 _Good things are coming our way...,"_

-Up With the Birds; **by Coldplay**

* * *

 _The Avatar's Guardian is the only living being on the planet to have a Spiritual connection with the Avatar. While there are many aspects of the Avatar and their Guardian that is seen as_ _different_ _, the only similarity between the two is they are reincarnated into a different Nation upon death. The_ _differences_ _in the Avatar and the Guardian is that, unlike the Avatar's ability to learn all four Elements, the Guardian only knows the Element of the Nation they were born into. Unlike the Avatar, who has a set reincarnation cycle, the Guardian's cycle is random and unpredictable. Traditions had been customary in which the strongest bender from each Nation would be presented to the Avatar, if a Spiritual connection — or any type of Spiritual activity at all_ _— took place, then the Avatar's journey could truly begin. In later centuries, that tradition has been discarded. The Avatar must use their own Spirituality to find their Guardian on their own._

 _The Guardian's purpose is to protect and teach the Avatar in their journey, as well as growing in their own way. In order to become a successful protector, the Guardian..._

"What are you doing? Sorin's voice cut through the air, startling Imani from the scroll she had been reading. A majority of her father's scrolls were usually designs sent from his family. Sorin would fix anything he thought would need fixing and send the scrolls back to them, but some of the ones he kept were notes, updates, and reports that the soldiers would send to the Fire Lord. Which was why Imani was surprised that she found a scroll that contained on something she didn't know about.

"What's the Avatar's Guardian?" she asked, closing the scroll tightly. "I've never heard of it before."

"A myth," Sorin exclaimed, holding his hand out for the scroll. "Give me the scroll, Imani."

Furrowing her brows, Imani's lips pursed. "What's the problem?" she asked. "I think it's interesting."

"You shouldn't have been looking through my belongings. If anything's mixed up, I will get in trouble."

With an unladylike snort, Imani handed the scroll over with a slight scowl. "Don't worry, I didn't mess anything up for your dear _Fire Lord_ ," she exclaimed. Her sarcastic remark earned a glare from her father. "Look through your stuff if you want, but I didn't mess anything up."

"Your attitude is starting to worry me," Sorin said tensely. "If a soldier overheard you say that, it wouldn't have been taken lightly."

"Would you let them do anything to me?" Imani exclaimed.

"I'd pray nothing _would_ happen to you," he responded.

"They're probably waiting for the moment I mess up." Imani's eyes became heated with anger. "It's not like anyone in this blasted village likes me anyway."

"It's unfair, I know," Sorin sighed, "but it's something we'll have to deal with."

Sighing, Imani nodded. "Yeah," she muttered dismissively. "I have to go. Jasper needed me for something."

"Wait." Sorin gently grabbed his daughter's wrist, stopping her from going any further. "Take this."

Taking Imani's wrist and turning her hand palm up, he dropped a small drawstring pouch in her hand. Not only that, but there was something _in_ the pouch.

"What is this?" Imani asked.

"Money," Sorin responded. "I managed to save some from what was left over from taxes. I want to make sure you all have enough."

"Father, you don't have to do this." Imani tried giving it back, but Sorin pushed Imani's hand away, a small smile on his face.

"You're my daughter," he sighed. "And yes, I understand that Jasper and Lee aren't my children, but they're still your siblings. Their wellbeing is important to me, as well."

"What about Nolan?"

Sorin only had the opportunity to meet Nolan once before Loa married him. Loa thought it would be nice for her ex-lover to meet her fiancé, since they still had mutual respect for each other. Sorin's thought on his daughter's stepfather wasn't bad, but it wasn't great; he was rather neutral on Nolan's position in the family. Even Nolan's position as a non-bender didn't bother Sorin in the slightest _(to a majority of the Firebenders, and all of the soldiers, non-benders were seen as worthless to an extent, but that didn't mean the non-benders didn't work)_. The only thing Sorin found a little concerning about Nolan was his ability to parent; which Sorin knew he had no right to do so, since Imani never lived with him. But, being a father himself, Sorin wanted to be ensured that Nolan's parenting capabilities were adequate for the twins and his stepdaughter.

"For Nolan, too." There was a bit of a tightness in the tone of Sorin's voice, and he was aware that Imani picked up on it. She was quick like that. "You don't need to worry about paying me back, OK?"

"It would only seem fair."

Shaking his head, Sorin placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "My family makes sure I have enough money to spare," he responded. _That, and I don't get taxed as heavily as the others._ The thought slowly — and bitterly — oozed its way in Sorin's mind, to which he had to resist the urge to grimace.

"Well, I'll figure something out to repay you," Imani replied, holding the pouch close to her. "It means a lot."

"You're my daughter," was the scoffed reply. "Why would you feel obligated to repay your own father?"

"It feels right."

" _Don't_ , Imani," Sorin pressed. "I don't need you putting unwanted pressure on yourself. I will help my family, that's the important thing."

Looking at her father carefully, Imani gave a slow, deliberate nod. "You're right," she sighed. "It _is_ important."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **1\. I know this chapter took too long to be put up.**

 **2\. Hopefully you guys can forgive me for not having this up sooner.**

 **3\. There was a brief mention of what the Avatar's Guardian is, if there's any confusion on the little explanation, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me.**

 **4\. What do you guys think of this chapter?**

 **Do I own anything in the ATLA fandom? No. No I don't. What do I own? My characters and whatever subplots I add into the story.**

 **OK, so if there's anything on this chapter that may come across as confusing, poorly explained, etc., etc., etc., don't hesitate to let me know. I might think I've just finished writing the most amazing chapter ever, but you might think it's the most confusing piece of writing on the planet. If there's no communication between us — as in, I posted something that, for whatever reason, you're confused on but you just don't feel like letting me know** **— then I don't know what I need to improve. Constructive criticism is something I value, and if I don't get it, then I don't know what I should be doing better on. I try to proof-read my work when I can get an opportunity, but I don't always have the time to do so. And I'm not expecting you guys to go all Grammar Nazi or anything, just point out little flaws or whatever and I'll fix it.**

 **Other than that, I don't ask much from you guys.**

 **That's all I've got for that.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	5. Chapter 5

_"It's time to begin, isn't it?_

 _I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit,_

 _I'm just the same as I was,_

 _Now don't you understand?_

 _That I'm never changing who I am...,"_

-It's Time; **by Imagine Dragons**

* * *

Time went on in an uneventful manner. Imani spent her time with her siblings, stepfather, and biological father whenever she had the chance. Not only that, but she made sure to put in enough time to help out with any injured miners she came across. Imani wanted to make sure she was as useful as possible. But, as usual, any kind of help she gave the wounded miners was met with disinterest and little to no gratitude. She was still seen as a — Imani's heard the term plenty of times — _half-breed_ by a majority of the people in the village, and she'd always be dismissed.

Even though she had grown accustomed to it, the thought of being called something like that, being dismissed so easily, still hurt. But Imani tried making it so it didn't hurt _as_ much.

So, after a week and a half of doing the same routine every day, something happened. A change — a _really big_ change. A Fire Nation messenger had come to the village, telling the soldiers news of something that caused the soldiers to tense up considerably. Imani had been bandaging up an Earthbender who had received considerable burns on her forearms. The Earthbender herself had been in too much pain to really here what was going on, but Imani was able to overhear the conversation.

"The Avatar has returned."

 **. . . .**

Imani's heart beat painfully in her chest. Had she heard it wrong? The Avatar was _back_? Imani didn't want to make it _too_ obvious that she had been overhearing, but she couldn't help but pause for the briefest moment. In all honesty, she didn't expect the soldiers or the messenger to really notice her at all; but if they _were_ paying attention to her, she'd have to quickly regain herself before they caught on.

Once she finished patching up the Earthbender woman, Imani gathered her belongings and tried her best to leave as calmly as possible. As she walked by the soldiers and the messenger, Imani's pace slowed ever so slightly so she could catch up on something else. But when they threw a look Imani's way, she hurried her pace so not to look suspicious.

But it didn't really matter. She only had one thing in mind.

 **. . . .**

"You're _lying_." Jasper threw a hateful look her sister's way. "The Avatar isn't back."

"I heard the soldiers talking about it," Imani exclaimed. "The Avatar is back!"

"We shouldn't be talking about this," Lee said, sounding nervous. "What if the soldiers hear us?"

"They wouldn't _have_ to hear us if _Jasper_ would keep her tone down." Imani threw a look her sister's way.

"You're the one who's making stuff up!"

"What is going on in here!" Nolan stormed into Jasper's and Imani's room, a concerned look on his face. "Why are you guys yelling?"

"Imani is making things up," Jasper exclaimed, looking at her father pointedly. "She keeps saying the Avatar's back."

"Because he _is_."

"How do you know!" Jasper announced.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Nolan shouted. "Everybody calm down. What is this about the Avatar? I don't understand."

"I was fixing up an Earthbender by the mine and I overheard a messenger talking to one of the soldiers," Imani explained. "The messenger said that at the Fire Nation Temple, the eyes _lit up_. They don't do that unless it's got something to do with the Avatar."

"See?" Jasper snapped. "She's _lying_."

"The Fire Nation Temple?" Nolan repeated.

"I don't really know what it is exactly, but it's connected to the Avatar somehow." Imani had a pleading look in her eyes as she looked at her stepfather. "I know it's important, Nolan. _Please_ , I'm not lying."

Shaking his head, Nolan let out a sigh. "I don't know," he replied. "I wouldn't go believing every word you hear from them."

"Do you really think they'd make something like this up?"

"The Avatar hasn't been seen in a hundred years. Why would he show up _now_ of all times?" Nolan asked.

"I don't know," Imani mumbled. "There's _gotta_ be a reason, right?"

"I'm just saying," he pressed, "don't go believing what you're hearing. Don't get your hopes up either. While it's nice to think the Avatar may return, it's highly unlikely. I haven't heard anything from my old friends on the subject, but if they contact me to confirm this, then I'll believe it."

 **. . . .**

Aang's intentions of taking Sokka and Katara to the Southern Air Temple had been innocent enough. He figured that he'd get to show his newfound friends a little bit on Air Nomad culture; and, granted, they were acting a little weird on the matter, and he eventually understood why. Aang didn't see any reason to believe that the Fire Nation would be capable of doing something as horrendous as killing the Air Nomads and destroying the Southern Temple. Aang had _friends_ who were Fire Nation. It was hard for him to wrap his name around it.

Yeah, what happened in the Southern Water Tribe with Zuko and his men had been uncalled for and a little unsettling, but as Aang came to understand what was _really_ going on, he realized that things really _had_ changed in the past hundred years.

Unfortunately, that meant Aang had a lot of things he had to catch up.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter may have been poorly written, but I hope it was at least interesting. There were probably some issues, so if there are, don't hesitate to let me know, OK?**

 **Do I own anything in the ATLA fandom? No. No I do not.**

 **If you have ideas on future updates** **— whether it be subplots or OCs or any kind of constructive criticism** **— don't hesitate to let me know. Communication is super important, in my opinion. If I don't know what you guys want to see in the story, or things you want to see change, then I can't really get an idea on what to improve on.**

 **That is all.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	6. Chapter 6

_"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."_ -Marilyn Monroe

* * *

When news of the Avatar's return had spread through the village, things seemed different. People were anxious, tense, looking at each other more closely. The Firebenders and the soldiers were making sure to keep a closer eye on the Earthbenders and villagers. Conditions in the mine worsened. Imani wouldn't be able to count how many Earthbenders she had to help because the Firebenders and the soldiers were lashing out more violently than before.

"I take it you know about the Avatar, huh?" Imani had spent her time applying medication onto a severe burn on an older man's leg. A soldier found the Earthbending man's work ethics to be "unacceptable" and "putting the others behind". As a result — and Imani will never understand why — the Earthbender was punished for his supposedly unacceptable work ethics.

"Yes." She kept her answer short and curt, applying more medication to the wound. It had since stopped bleeding, only because Imani had placed enough pressure and bandages on the wound for it to happen.

With a snort, the Earthbender threw a sour look Imani's way. "Must be scary for you Firebenders," he exclaimed. "The world's last hope has finally returned after a hundred years."

"If you haven't noticed, I don't associate myself with the Fire Nation."

"You've still got a father who's from there."

"What's your point?"

"Don't matter if you've lived here your whole life, you're associated with the Fire Nation because of your father." A sneer came across the Earthbender's face. "You Firebenders will get what's coming to you."

Without another word, Imani wrapped a bandage around the Earthbender's leg, making it tight and visibly uncomfortable for the man. She understood their distaste and hatred for the Fire Nation — or just Firebenders in general — but his words still stung, still put a nasty taste in her mouth. Imani didn't want to be looked at as someone who supported the Fire Nation, as someone who believed the world got what it deserved when the war started. Imani _hated_ the Fire Nation. It didn't matter that the little life Imani had inside her village had been the only one she knew, she had experienced enough hostility from the soldiers to know that no one from the Fire Nation could be trusted.

But that belief also conflicted with her appreciation for her father.

Without even looking at the man, Imani stood and left, not even acknowledging the man's protests and total disrespect. Imani had seen plenty of it with so many of the people she helped.

 **. . . .**

Despite Jasper's wishes of Imani coming home immediately to see her Earthbending, Imani went to her father's to have a little alone time. By the time she had reached Sorin's home, he wasn't there. That could only mean he was in some kind of meeting with a Fire Nation higher up.

 _It'll give you enough time to finish reading that scroll he has,_ a small voice in the back of her head whispered.

A rush of adrenaline pumped through Imani's body. With Sorin gone, she _could_ read up on the Avatar's Guardian. The fact that she knew absolutely nothing on that part of the Avatar's history was baffling. Imani had grown up with very to little knowledge on the Avatar, and while she did find the topic a bit interesting, finding out there was another being nearly as powerful as the Avatar itself had blown her mind.

Going into the library, Imani dug through some of the scrolls before she found the one she was looking for. Opening it, she sat herself down at Sorin's desk before finding where she'd left off.

 _...the Guardian must not only learn from its past lives, but learn from the Avatar's as well. All the knowledge the Guardian obtains in its lifetime will give them the necessary skills and abilities to protect the Avatar from danger._

That was where it cut off. There was plenty of space left on the scroll for there to be more information, but...it had been left blank. Imani's brows furrowed in confusion. She expected there to be more; she _wanted_ there to be more!

"There's _got_ to be more somewhere," she muttered. Putting the scroll down, Imani dug through more of her father's scrolls without much luck. Letting out a frustrated growl, Imani stomped her foot. How could there be so little on the Guardian while there was _so much_ on the Avatar? It didn't make any sense!

 _There's a small shrine near Omashu I can go to,_ Imani thought. _Maybe they'll know about the Guardian there._

The shrine near Omashu was one that recognized Earthbending Avatars, it wasn't big, but it had some significance in Earth Kingdom culture. Imani had heard it briefly from other villagers who managed to go there at some point in their lifetime. From what had been overheard, the shrine gave those who visited a sense that the past Earthbending Avatars were still with them in some way; that the spirit of the Earth Kingdom seemed to fill those who visited them and made them feel almost invincible. Of course, those were probably just fabricated in order to make the shrine seem more important, but it never really gained much popularity of any kind from what Imani understood.

 _That shrine is part of my culture,_ she thought fiercely. _I'm more than just a Firebending half-breed. I am going to find out more about this Guardian. I will travel to Omashu and find what I'm looking for._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Not the best chapter I've written, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway! If you've got ideas for future updates, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? That stuff's important.**

 **Do I own anything in the ATLA series? No. No I do not.**

 **Quick question: I understand that there are quite a number of comics on ATLA — like what happened to Zuko's mother? Stuff like that** **— do you guys think I should write separate stories for those, or incorporate those into my story (and any sequel I decide to write for this)? Let me know in the reviews.**

 **That's all I've got for that.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	7. Chapter 7

_"I had what I thought were clear open eyes, bright blue,_

 _Vision of a lake, carryin' pictures to lay on you,_

 _Close the blinds, let 'em in, don't mind openin' at the edge of love,_

 _You can't un-think a thought, either it's there or it's not...,"_

-Undiscovered First; **by Feist**

* * *

Imani's plan to leave for Omashu — or at least the general area _surrounding_ Omashu — would have to be kept secret. If Nolan, Sorin, or the twins found out about her intentions to leave — though Imani _did_ plan on returning — she'd be in all _kinds_ of trouble. It would be even worse if Jasper found out. Jasper had a habit of making a bigger issue out of things than necessary; which would mean Imani would have to choose her words _very_ carefully.

 _If I can manage to sneak outside the walls, I'd have to be very careful when it comes to Firebending._ The thought made Imani wince. Should she leave without a fight or without being noticed, she'd face a lot of hostility from people who hated Firebenders. There was suddenly a sinking feeling in her stomach.

So, in that moment, Imani promised herself that she'd limit her Firebending to moments of desperate need — as in, if she needed warmth or if her life were to be in danger, _that_ would be when Firebending would be necessary.

 **. . . .**

When the front door of Sorin's home opened, Imani felt her blood run cold. She had to put the scroll back and _immediately_. When she heard her father mutter something to himself, Imani bit her bottom lip anxiously. If she left the library and sneak into her father's bedroom, she'd be able to go out his window without being detected. But that would mean she'd have to take the scroll with her.

 _He wouldn't notice one scroll missing, would he?_

Sorin probably would. He seemed to keep track of each scroll in his possession, but Imani knew if she wanted to leave without getting caught, she'd have to go through with that plan.

Quickly grabbing as much of the unrolled scroll as she could, Imani quickly and quietly left the library, making sure to keep close attention to where her father's footsteps were coming from. He was walking down the hallway, seemingly getting closer to his room. Silently cursing, Imani quickly went over to the window, opened it, and climbed out. She closed it as far as she was able before her father walked in.

 **. . . .**

Was it smart to go back home? No. Was it smart to stick around Sorin's property? _Oh no_. So where was a good place to go with a stolen scroll? A little area closer to the mine — despite every nerve telling her not to, despite the amount of times visited before — that was relatively secluded from the villagers and soldiers. Even though the area smelled a bit like smoke, burnt Earth, and all kinds of minerals.

Imani's choice of a hideout was the last place she wanted to be in, but she knew that if she wanted some _actual_ time away from her family and the others, the little area near the mine was where she went. After Loa's funeral, Imani went there to mourn privately. When things became overwhelming, Imani would go there to think things over and just regroup her thoughts. That was why there was a bit of a love-hate relationship with the place.

Sitting against a mound of dirt and rock, Imani worked on rerolling the scroll, hoping not to get it dirty.

 _I think going to the mine with some scroll from your father's collection is not the smartest idea._ A slight grimace came across Imani's face, and she tried even _harder_ to make sure nothing happened to the scroll. It looked like it was in perfect condition, so she knew even the _teensiest_ dirt smear would be detected by Sorin. Once it was secured, Imani let out a sigh and slumped her shoulders; she had to just take a moment to relax.

 _Don't worry so much,_ an inner voice whispered. _You'll be fine. You'll have the scroll back in no time, you'll be near Omashu and back before anyone really notices! Just...keep yourself under control, OK?_

Letting out a silent sigh, Imani lowered her head, some of her hair falling around her face. Would she really find what she was looking for once she left? Hopefully. But things don't always turn out the way people want them to. A heaviness weighed down on her chest; and for a split second, Imani began to have second thoughts. What would happen to her family if she left? Would the soldiers do something to them? What about Jasper? Would anything happen to her? The heaviness in her chest seemed to intensify.

 _But you wanted to do this, right? To find answers?_

Letting out a frustrated groan, Imani pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt even _more_ frustrated. Part of her knew that chances of anything happening to her family was slim, but there was always a possibility of something happening! The soldiers and the Firebenders in the village, were violent and unpredictable; if something happened to her family and she wasn't there...

Shaking her head, Imani pushed the thoughts out of her head. She couldn't think like that; she didn't _want_ to think like that. So why was she?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **A short, potentially poorly written chapter! Let me know what you guys think, OK? If there's anything that needs to be changed in any way, don't hesitate to let me know!**

 **Do I own anything in the ATLA series? No. No I do not.**

 **If there was anything in this chapter that came off as confusing, just let me know. Communication is important, and if I don't know what you guy consider confusing — or if you're willing to give some kind of constructive criticism but you just don't give it** **— then I don't know what to improve on.**

 **On another note, that's all I've got for this.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	8. Chapter 8

_"I know a girl from an island,_

 _She stands apart from the crowd,_

 _She loves the sea and her people,_

 _She makes her whole family proud,_

 _Sometimes the world seems against you,_

 _The journey may leave a scar,_

 _But scars can heal and reveal just who you are...,"_

-I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors); **from the movie Moana (2016)**

* * *

Imani decided to go back home, but she made sure to keep the scroll out of eyesight of anyone. She didn't want them getting suspicious, especially the soldiers or the other Firebenders. The soldiers and hostile Firebenders had a tendency to poke their noses in to whatever they thought would be considered their business, even if it didn't concern them. It was hard to have a private life when they were being forced to keep it all in the open.

"Hey, girl!" The voice made Imani freeze in her tracks. It was a man's voice, one Imani wasn't familiar with. Turning her head slightly, Imani saw a tall, gangly looking guy shuffling over to her. He had messy auburn hair and dull amber eyes, a smirk across his face. He was a Firebender, Imani could tell right off the bat he was. Firebenders tended to have certain physical characteristics that were similar — two of those being dark auburn hair and amber eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked, keeping her voice flat. It was odd that one of the colonists wanted to talk to her, given that all of them tended to ignore her. Imani knew that the soldiers and colonists had the idea that a true Firebender was someone whose parents both reigned from the Fire Nation; if someone had one parent — or any family member for that matter — who came from another nation, that particular family would be seen as impure. Imani's family was impure, but Sorin was still respected to a degree.

"Where do you think you're going?" the man asked, his voice sounding almost raspy.

A bubble of suspicious rose in the pit of Imani's stomach. He was up to something. "Why does it matter to you?" she responded. "None of the soldiers or other Firebenders have ever approached me before; why are _you_ suddenly so curious about where I'm going?"

The man's smirk disappeared, his brows furrowing. "Listen here," he hissed, grabbing Imani's forearm. "I've heard that since the Avatar's come back, your father's got some material on something just as powerful."

Even his grip, Imani tried keeping the scroll out of his eyesight. If he attempted to grab it, not only would she be in big trouble, but Sorin would obviously pay some sort of price for it, as well. Yanking her arm out of the man's grip, she threw a venomous glare. "Don't ever touch me again," she responded, her voice so calm it was almost eerie. "And you're foolish to think my father would ever have something like that. _Especially_ in a place like this."

The man's eyes narrowed into an equally venomous glare. His eyes darted downward, catching the way Imani tilted her body, the way her right arm was hiding, as if she didn't want him to see anything. "What're you holding?" he questioned. "Show me."

" _Back_ off," Imani hissed. "Leave me alone."

When he tried reaching for her again, Imani threw her free arm out, sending a burst of flames at him. Imani heard him scream, heard him curse. Her fire was only to scare him, not to hurt him, but considering how close he was to her, Imani's flames ended up causing some damage.

 **. . . .**

Before the man had an opportunity to gather his bearings, Imani took her chance to take off. She knew that people would be wondering what was going on, they'd be coming out to look. Which also meant soldiers would be on their way. If there was an unsettling atmosphere in the village, the soldiers would do something — only if they felt like it, though. If it was an Earthbender being attacked by a Firebender, they wouldn't do anything; if it was a non-bender getting into a confrontation with a bender, the soldiers wouldn't do anything; if it was a Firebender — though it was rare — causing problems for a non-bender, the soldiers wouldn't do anything. It was only when a non-bender or an Earthbender started fighting back against a Firebender or another soldier that problems arose.

Imani had fought back against a Firebender.

She knew she'd be in trouble, _humongous_ trouble. The soldiers might exile her — they felt they had the power to do whatever they pleased, and while they couldn't exile Earthbenders or non-benders due to their significance to the village, they'd have no problems doing it to her.

No, what if they sent her to the Capital? What if she had to see Fire Lord Ozai? Imani had heard stories about Ozai — the Fire Nation ruler who exiled his own son to find the Avatar, the man who greatly encouraged the invasion of the Earth Kingdom and the suppression of the Water Tribes. Ozai was fearless, heartless, and seemed to take immense pleasure in wrecking havoc across the globe.

 _Don't be stupid,_ she thought. _What you did wasn't enough for you to be sent to the Fire Lord. Besides, what could Ozai do? You burned a colonist, not someone important._

What if she did something like that again, and it _was_ someone important?

That was a thought she just couldn't bear.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This was short but I hope you guys like it. If there's anything that came off as confusing, don't hesitate to let me know. If there's anything you feel could use improvement, don't hesitate to let me know.**

 **Do I own anything in the ATLA fandom? No. No I don't.**

 **Tell me if you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, tell me if you've got ideas for anything, to be honest. I like it when reviewers contribute their own thoughts to a story, I feel like it improves it.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and please don't drive drunk.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	9. Chapter 9

_"In a little café just the other side of the border,_

 _She was sittin' there givin' looks that made my mouth water,_

 _So I started walking her way,_

 _She belonged to a bad-man Jose,_

 _And I said yes,_

 _I knew I should leave,_

 _When I heard her say yeah yeah...,"_

-Come A Little Bit Closer; **by Jay and the Americans**

* * *

Hurrying back home, Imani quickly went into her bedroom, where she shoved the scroll under her bed. She couldn't bear the thought of anyone finding out about it. But at that moment, her top priority would be figuring out how she'd handle the confrontation she had with the Firebender. Certainly there'd be soldiers looking for her. Why _wouldn't_ they? The soldiers were _itching_ for a confrontation — how was Imani supposed to handle herself against a bunch of power-hungry colonists? If she fought against them, she'd probably be sent to the Fire Lord, which would be _terrible_.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Imani felt her stomach tightly knotting up, making her almost nauseas. What if she decided to go? She wouldn't have to confront the soldiers, she wouldn't get in trouble for doing anything to them.

 _But what if they did something to Nolan and the others? You wouldn't the soldiers hurting them._ The thought hung heavily in the back of her mind, and she had to wonder if something like that could even happen. Shaking her head, Imani set her jaw and tried shoving down the anxieties and uncertainties she was feeling. She had to keep herself focused, she couldn't afford to freak out.

And, with a feeling of guilt steadily overpowering the anxiety and uncertainty, Imani decided she'd have to leave.

 **. . . .**

Nolan had always been like a second father to Imani. He was supportive, he was kind, he treated Imani and her siblings with the utmost respect. Not to mention he didn't fear or hate Imani for being a Firebender. He didn't hold the colonists in high regards, but he knew that Imani didn't ask to be born a Firebender, and since she was the daughter of his deceased wife, he vowed to treat her as if she were his own. That was why he had Imani's respect. Nolan was an honorable person.

Unfortunately, he caught on to when she wasn't acting herself. He knew when she was upset, he knew when she was sad. Raising three kids on his own — despite Sorin's contribution in raising Imani — mean that he was keen in those little changes in his children. So when he saw Imani rushing into the house and into her room, he instantly knew something happened. He'd heard a scream from somewhere in the village, so he presumed that someone had gotten into an altercation, and seeing the look of horror and fear on Imani's face told him what he needed to know.

Standing outside his stepdaughter's bedroom, the entrance closed off, Nolan let out a sigh. He wanted to understand what happened, but Imani could be so damn stubborn sometimes. That was only one of _many_ similarities she shared with her mother. Pursing his lips, Nolan knew he'd have to speak up eventually.

"Are you okay?" he called, his tone cautious. If Imani was in a delicate state of any kind, he wanted to make sure he didn't step out of line in any way. "Imani?"

When she didn't answer, Nolan's brows furrowed. There were moments where Imani had been so upset over something she refused to talk to anyone, but the silence Nolan was hearing was different. It was something he didn't like in the slightest. Opening the door leading into Imani's room, Nolan's eyes widened in shock. Her room was...pretty much empty. Since she'd gotten home, he hadn't heard a word or even the slightest sounds coming from her room. That was when Nolan's eyes landed on Imani's bed. There was a folded piece of paper. Quickly making his way to her bed, he picked up the paper and read it. The writing was sloppy, as if it were rushed.

 _"Dear everyone,_

 _I know, it's pretty stupid you guys would figure out I left with a note. It makes me feel childish — you're probably thinking the same thing, right? But I need you to know that I_ _had_ _to leave. I had no other choice. There was a confrontation with one of the Firebenders_ _— I burned him. He made me feel threatened, so I did the only thing I had to do, use my Firebending. That was the first thing that popped into my head, so..._

 _Anyway, I really am sorry for leaving like this. Running away, leaving a heartfelt note?_ _— doesn't sound like me at all, does it? But I know that the soldiers would be looking for a bit of confrontation for what I did to that Firebender. I didn't want to do anything stupid to them. And I know, the soldiers may try and do something to you guys, but hopefully Sorin won't allow that. He's got some — and I mean_ _some_ _— power over them in the village. I guess that's the advantage of coming from a wealthy Fire Nation family._

 _Aside from that, there was also something else I needed to find out. Once I'm certain I have what I need, I'll come home. I promise._

 _-Imani_

 _p.s._ _—Jasper, Lee...I am so sorry for this. I'll do my best to come back. Listen to Nolan, don't get into trouble. I'll get back as soon as possible."_

 **. . . .**

It hurt Imani, leaving the way she did. In her bedroom, there was a small window, but it was big enough for her to squeeze her way through. It was hard, but she managed to do so. She had left some of the money Sorin left her for Nolan and her siblings, and took whatever was left for herself. She wanted to make sure she'd have enough on her trip to Omashu.

Looking back, Imani could still see the village, partially in view. Feeling a sense of dread and guilt wash over her, Imani straightened her shoulders and started walking again.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I don't know why, but FF didn't send out any notice that I updated this story. But hopefully it'll work itself out and you guys will know I updated.**

 **Do I own the ATLA series? No. No I don't.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and I hope you guys eat the best pizza of your life.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


End file.
